Topic: 2009 OFFICIAL FRENCH OPEN THREAD - ATP

[huntingyou]

Roger will not drop a set in his way to the semis, Murray might have to fight for his life from round one.....Novak will show who is #2 on clay and Rafa...........will play his best tennis of the season yet.

By losing badly in the semis to Federer? 

AS for Murray, he's weak on clay, but Chela is ranked 205 for a reason: he's just been beaten in straight sets by Oscar Hernandez, over tyhe clay season he's lost to Bolelli and Rochus, his best wins have been against KUnitsyn and GIcquel, he has a negative record this year, he hasn't beaten a top-30 player without a retirement since the 2007 US Open. Murray beat him 3 times in straight sets before he started shaving and when Chela was still a top-30 regular. Murray is miles out of Chela's league. As for the other threat you named: Starace, he is ranked 105, also has a negative record for the year, retired in his last tournament, and his form, while beingh better than Chela's is still pretty poor compared to Murray: wins over Hernandez, Gulbis and Soderling on clay are nothing to write home about. The early 'scares' for Murray could only be Zverev if he plays like he did in Rome, or Montanes: they are the two best clay-courters in Murray's section befotre the quarter-finals. Murray couldn't have asked for a better draw.

Full list of players in Murray's section: Chela, Zverev, Starace, Tipsarevic, Montanes, Feliciano Lopez, Stepanek, Gaudio, Lu, Sela, Hernych and Cilic. i.e. a set of half-decent seeds who hate clay and a lot of journeymen who would say they like clay but Murray can totally outclass.

Novak is the better claycourter since last year; but we can wait and see......ok?

Murray should beat Chela and everybody in is quarter but we are talking clay and a GS to boot. Murray has to prove he can perform high level of tennis in a GS venue on a consistent basis.

I see him struggling but moving forward at least to the 4RD, then all bets are off because I have no idea.

[huntingyou]

Tell me this is not cute:

[ovg]

I just looked up some ticket prizes, but man that's really pathetic imo. For the men's semi-finals and final, the cheapest ticket costs 450 euros (top seats, from which you can hardly see any ball I guess). For the seats near the 'pitch' you pay almost 1500 euros...

Which is too bad because I would really love to watch a big game on a Grand Slam live sometime. And since Paris equals only a 4,5 hour drive, the best opportunity that I have would be the French Open. But damn those prizes!

A shame really! All GS cost a lot I guess...I'm not aware

Those prices are crazy high. Do they offer a grounds pass ticket? If so, you could go early in week 1, spend all your time on the outer courts and see tons of tennis up close.

[TennisVeritas]

Tell me this is not cute:

Come on Hunty: This is weak..On one side you have a champion who just try to beat one of the ultimate (all time ) record, i.e. the N# of slams when on the other you have a guy, much younger, who has still plenty of time, who just lost a Master on clay..Not the same stuff reallly..Pathetic to draw a parallel IMO

Anyway..If you are happy with this sort of picture..

[huntingyou]

Tell me this is not cute:

Come on Hunty: This is weak..On one side you have a champion who just try to beat one of the ultimate (all time ) record, i.e. the N# of slams ion the other a guy, much younger, who has still plenty of time, who lost a Master on clay..Anyway..If you are happy with this sort of picture..

I just saw it at MTF........it's not big deal, Nadal looks funny as hell.

[TheEternalCowboy]

Here's a link to the draw:

http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/scores/draws/ms/msdraw.pdf

[huntingyou]

Ana is alive!

[TheEternalCowboy]

Looks like the streak that REALLY matters has ended.  Rainer Schuettler is on Federer's side of the draw for the first time in, like, half-a-dozen slams.  

[TennisVeritas]

Tell me this is not cute:

Come on Hunty: This is weak..On one side you have a champion who just try to beat one of the ultimate (all time ) record, i.e. the N# of slams ion the other a guy, much younger, who has still plenty of time, who lost a Master on clay..Anyway..If you are happy with this sort of picture..

I just saw it at MTF........it's not big deal, Nadal looks funny as hell.

I agree with you: It is not a big deal: Still, it shows how people have so few respect of great champions..Come on!! Rafa was unhappy after Wimbledon '07 just we did not have the picture of him ..And at the age of 27 if he will have the opportunity to reach Pete's record and he will fail due to a younger and fitter opponent what do you think will be his reaction? I tell you: Frustration and sadness..people are just without any sort of respect when great champions are no more so dominat IMO.

[huntingyou]

Tell me this is not cute:

Come on Hunty: This is weak..On one side you have a champion who just try to beat one of the ultimate (all time ) record, i.e. the N# of slams ion the other a guy, much younger, who has still plenty of time, who lost a Master on clay..Anyway..If you are happy with this sort of picture..

I just saw it at MTF........it's not big deal, Nadal looks funny as hell.

I agree with you: It is not a big deal: Still, it shows how people have so few respect of great champions..Come on!! Rafa was unhappy after Wimbledon '07 just we did not have the picture of him ..And at the age of 27 if he will have the opportunity to reach Pete's record and he will fail due to a younger and fitter opponent what do you think will be his reaction? I tell you: Frustration and sadness..people are just without any sort of respect when great champions are no more so dominat IMO.

Do you like Ana? I just gave you a nice picture of few hours ago!

[TennisVeritas]

Tell me this is not cute:

Come on Hunty: This is weak..On one side you have a champion who just try to beat one of the ultimate (all time ) record, i.e. the N# of slams ion the other a guy, much younger, who has still plenty of time, who lost a Master on clay..Anyway..If you are happy with this sort of picture..

I just saw it at MTF........it's not big deal, Nadal looks funny as hell.

I agree with you: It is not a big deal: Still, it shows how people have so few respect of great champions..Come on!! Rafa was unhappy after Wimbledon '07 just we did not have the picture of him ..And at the age of 27 if he will have the opportunity to reach Pete's record and he will fail due to a younger and fitter opponent what do you think will be his reaction? I tell you: Frustration and sadness..people are just without any sort of respect when great champions are no more so dominat IMO.

Do you like Ana? I just gave you a nice picture of few hours ago!

Ana...I am a fan for sure..

[Emma]

I am very happy that Nole is in Roger's half who BTW has a dream draw, but equally unhappy about Murray's draw. Kickserve is too confident but I don't feel good about Murray drawing Chela in the very first round. Chela is very dangerous IMHO even if he's ranked beyond 200 at this point.

Nadal's draw looks a bit tough. Nole has an okay draw.

[kickserve]

Roger will not drop a set in his way to the semis, Murray might have to fight for his life from round one.....Novak will show who is #2 on clay and Rafa...........will play his best tennis of the season yet.

By losing badly in the semis to Federer? 

AS for Murray, he's weak on clay, but Chela is ranked 205 for a reason: he's just been beaten in straight sets by Oscar Hernandez, over tyhe clay season he's lost to Bolelli and Rochus, his best wins have been against KUnitsyn and GIcquel, he has a negative record this year, he hasn't beaten a top-30 player without a retirement since the 2007 US Open. Murray beat him 3 times in straight sets before he started shaving and when Chela was still a top-30 regular. Murray is miles out of Chela's league. As for the other threat you named: Starace, he is ranked 105, also has a negative record for the year, retired in his last tournament, and his form, while beingh better than Chela's is still pretty poor compared to Murray: wins over Hernandez, Gulbis and Soderling on clay are nothing to write home about. The early 'scares' for Murray could only be Zverev if he plays like he did in Rome, or Montanes: they are the two best clay-courters in Murray's section befotre the quarter-finals. Murray couldn't have asked for a better draw.

Full list of players in Murray's section: Chela, Zverev, Starace, Tipsarevic, Montanes, Feliciano Lopez, Stepanek, Gaudio, Lu, Sela, Hernych and Cilic. i.e. a set of half-decent seeds who hate clay and a lot of journeymen who would say they like clay but Murray can totally outclass.

Novak is the better claycourter since last year; but we can wait and see......ok?

Murray should beat Chela and everybody in is quarter but we are talking clay and a GS to boot. Murray has to prove he can perform high level of tennis in a GS venue on a consistent basis.

I see him struggling but moving forward at least to the 4RD, then all bets are off because I have no idea.

I think Murray will move forward to the quarters dropping 2 sets at most, where he'd probably play Gonzo. Although Gonzo is obviously more comfrtable on clay I'd probably back Murray there, maybe about 60-40.

[tain316]

Roger will not drop a set in his way to the semis, Murray might have to fight for his life from round one.....Novak will show who is #2 on clay and Rafa...........will play his best tennis of the season yet.

By losing badly in the semis to Federer? 

AS for Murray, he's weak on clay, but Chela is ranked 205 for a reason: he's just been beaten in straight sets by Oscar Hernandez, over tyhe clay season he's lost to Bolelli and Rochus, his best wins have been against KUnitsyn and GIcquel, he has a negative record this year, he hasn't beaten a top-30 player without a retirement since the 2007 US Open. Murray beat him 3 times in straight sets before he started shaving and when Chela was still a top-30 regular. Murray is miles out of Chela's league. As for the other threat you named: Starace, he is ranked 105, also has a negative record for the year, retired in his last tournament, and his form, while beingh better than Chela's is still pretty poor compared to Murray: wins over Hernandez, Gulbis and Soderling on clay are nothing to write home about. The early 'scares' for Murray could only be Zverev if he plays like he did in Rome, or Montanes: they are the two best clay-courters in Murray's section befotre the quarter-finals. Murray couldn't have asked for a better draw.

Full list of players in Murray's section: Chela, Zverev, Starace, Tipsarevic, Montanes, Feliciano Lopez, Stepanek, Gaudio, Lu, Sela, Hernych and Cilic. i.e. a set of half-decent seeds who hate clay and a lot of journeymen who would say they like clay but Murray can totally outclass.

Novak is the better claycourter since last year; but we can wait and see......ok?

Murray should beat Chela and everybody in is quarter but we are talking clay and a GS to boot. Murray has to prove he can perform high level of tennis in a GS venue on a consistent basis.

I see him struggling but moving forward at least to the 4RD, then all bets are off because I have no idea.

I think Murray will move forward to the quarters dropping 2 sets at most, where he'd probably play Gonzo. Although Gonzo is obviously more comfrtable on clay I'd probably back Murray there, maybe about 60-40.

If Gonzo is "on", then Murray is screwed.  But, I also see Murray going through to the Quarters.  He can rack up some serious points in this tournament.

[BGT]

OMG!!! Andy's got a French WC named Roumain. He can win his first match at RG since 2005.

[Tatiana]

Ana is alive!

Ana is taller than Rafa.

[Tatiana]

Rafa has the toughest quarter.

Fed has the easiest quarter.


 

[Monky]

Rafa has the toughest quarter.

Fed has the easiest quarter.


 

woohoo

all that matters is the last 2 maybe 3 matches of the slam

[TheEternalCowboy]

Rafa has the toughest quarter.

Fed has the easiest quarter.


 

Rafa is the one who drew the balls this time.  The kid likes a challenge. 

[Emma]

Can we please call this thread either French Open 2009 or Roland Garros 2009? Thanks.